Load retaining or releasing means for vehicles.



" No. 736,269. PAT-EN'I'ED AUG.11, 190a 1 E. H. B. KNOWLTON.

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EPHRIAMI-I. B. KNOWLTON, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- EIGHTHTO JOHN SULLIVAN, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

LOAD RETAINING OR R-ELEASlNG MEANS FOR VEHICLES.-

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,269, dated August11, 1903. A Application filed September 11, 1902. Serial No. 122,919.(No model.)

- To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EPHRIAM H. B. KNOWL- TON, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Superior, in the countyof Douglas and State as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to load retaining and releasing means for vehicles,and has for its object the provision of means by which the I 5 load canbe released by an operator standing near the vehicle at a point ofsafety from the debarking load.

It consists, in combination with the frame of the vehicle, of a bracketextending therefrom, a stake mounted thereon, means secured to saidbracketa'dapted to engage the stake in operative position, and governingguneans for operating said engaging means.

It also consists of certain other constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my said invention.Fig. 2 is a detail 0 side elevation of a hook forming part of my saidinvention. Fig. 3 isa detail side elevation ofia cam, showing incross-section the shaft upon which it is mounted. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of my said invention.

5 In the drawings, 1 is the bolster of a carer other vehicle, to whichis attached the bracket 2, adapted ,tosupport a stake 3, forked at itslower end and journaled astride said bracket upon a shaft 4, which isjournaled in notches 7 o 5, cut in the forward edges of theforwardlyprojecting plates forming said bracket and adapted to fallifromsaid notches when the upper end of said stake swings forward anddownward to release the load. The foot of each leg of said stake isnotched, as at 6, and normally rests upon a shaft 7, engaged by saidnotches in said stake and projected through the side walls of saidbracket, near the lower edge thereof, said feet being adapted todisengage from said shaft when the upper portion of the stake swingsbackward and downward toward the car, as hereinafter explained. Shoes 8are formed upon or secured to each of the side walls of said bracketbeneath the feet of said stake and are adapted to prevent thedisengagement of said feet from said shaft 7 when the top of said stakeswings forward and downward. Between the side walls of said bracket andupon said shaft 4 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured a cam 9, adaptedto be engaged by a hook or parallel hooks 10, journaled upon a shaft 11,projected through the side walls of said bracket. Said shaft 4:

is preferably reduced at one end outside of the stake and threaded anda. retainingmut secured thereon. A crank-arm 12 is also screwed uponsuch. reduced end, preferably in such manner as to operate as a jam-nut,which arm is adapted to engage a cam 13, rigidly secured to a shaft 14,journaled in said bracket or in the frame of said vehicle, as may besuitable and desired. Said cam 13 is also preferably formed with a shortarm 15, adapted to engage said arm 12 to prevent the revolution of thesame. An operating-lever 16 is secured to said shaft 14 and ispreferably fiattened and apertured at the free end to receive the boltof a padlock 18 or other suitable locking means by which it may besecured to a pivotal arm 17, pivoted to said frame and apertured at itsfree end and adapted to overlap the free end of said lever 16 and toreceive the bolt of said padlockfor securing the free ends of said lever16 and said arm 17 together to prevent the rotation of said lever 16.For further securing said load a load-wrapper chain may be broughtdownward over the upper end of said stake between forwardly-projectinglugs 20, formed thereon, and the terminal hook 21 of said chain caughtunder said cam 9.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The stake being verticaland the camQ being turned downward and backward and engaged by the hooks10 and the cam 13 being locked in position supporting the lever 12against revolution, the vehicle is ready to receive the load, whichbeing embarked the wrapperchain is preferably passed over it and theterminal hook 21 caughtunder the cam 9. To disembark the load, the lever16 is unlocked and moved radially upward, causing the long arm of thecam 13 to press the lever 12 radially downward, thus rotating the cam 9,which raises the hooks 10 out of engagement and at the same time pushesthe hook 21 outwardly, thus freeing said chain. The pressure of the loadnow forces said stake radially outward and downward, said stake pivotingon said shaft 7 and carrying with it said shaft 4: and the partsconnected thereto, the load following. If it is desired to lower thestake to pass empty through log-loading machines, it may be dropped backupon the empty car until the top of the forked portion rests upon thebolster or other obstacle, said stake in such event pivoting in saidnotches 5 and disengaging from said shaft 7. Care may be exercised insuch last event to prevent said stake from total disengagement from saidbracket until the head of the fork engages the bolster, at which timethe leverage will keep said shaft 4 from slipping from said notches 5.It is obvious that said shaft 14 may extend to the opposite end of thecar and there support means for controlling another similar stakecontiguous thereto. It is also obvious that said locking means issusceptible of minor changes and modifications within the scope of myinvention and that said stake may be modified, buttressed, or otherwisestrengthened without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-- 1. In load retaining and releasing means, thecombination with a load-supporting structure, of a bracket securedthereto, a stake, forked at its lower end, mounted upon said bracket, acam positioned between the legs of said fork and rigidly secured to ashaft journaled in bearings formed by the legs of said fork, meansjournaled to said bracket for engaging said cam when said stake and camare in operative position, and means for operating said cam to disengagesaid engaging means, substantially as described.

2. In means for the purposes described, the combination with aload-supporting structure of a bracket secured thereto and formed withforwardly-projecting side walls having notches formed therein, a stakeforked at its lower end and journaled astride of said bracket upon ashaft projecting through the notched portions of said walls, a camrigidly secured to said shaft between the said side walls, a hookjournaled in said bracket and adapted to' engage said cam in operativeposition, means for operating said cam, and governing means forcontrolling said operat ing means, substantially as described.

3. In means for the purposes described, the combination with aload-supportingstructure of a bracket secured thereto and formed withforwardly-extending side walls having notches formed in their forwardedges, a stake, forked at its lower end, journaled astride of saidbracket upon a shaft adapted to project through the notched portions ofsaid side walls, said stake having notches formed in the rear edges ofeach foot of said forked portion, adapted to engage a second shaftprojected through the side walls of said bracket, means for retainingsaid stake in a vertical position, means for releasing the same fromsuch position and means for maintaining the engagement of the notchedportions of said stake with said-second shaft when said stake isreleased from the first-said retaining means, substantially asdescribed.

4. In means for the purposes described, the combination with aload-bearing structure of a bracket secured thereto and formed withforwardly-projecting side walls having notches formed in their forwardedges, a stake forked at its lower end journaled astride of said bracketupon a shaft projected through the notches of said side Walls, saidstake having notches formed in the rear edges of each foot of saidforked portion adapted to engage a second shaft projected through theside walls of said bracket, a shoe formed upon the outer faces of saidside walls and adapted to maintain the engagement of the notchedportions of said stake with said second shaft when said stake isradially lowered forward, a cam secured to the first-said shaft betweenthe side walls of said bracket, a hook, or hooks, journaled upon a thirdshaft projected through said bracket to the rear of the firstsaid shaftand adapted in operative position to engage said cam, a crank-leversecured to one of the outer ends of the first-said shaft, a second camsecured to a fourth shaft projected through said bracket and adapted toengage said crank-arm, a lever for operating said second cam, and meansfor locking the last-said lever substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

EPHRIAM H. B. KNOWLTON.

In presence of-- H. A. WING, JAMES T. WATSON.

